caesura
[ si-zhoo r-uh, -zoo r-uh, siz-yoo r-uh ]
/ sɪˈʒʊər ə, -ˈzʊər ə, sɪzˈyʊər ə /
noun, plural cae·su·ras, cae·su·rae [si-zhoo r-ee, -zoo r-ee, siz-yoo r-ee] /sɪˈʒʊər i, -ˈzʊər i, sɪzˈyʊər i/.
Prosody. a break, especially a sense pause, usually near the middle of a verse, and marked in scansion by a double vertical line, as in know then thyself ‖ presume not God to scan.
Classical Prosody. a division made by the ending of a word within a foot, or sometimes at the end of a foot, especially in certain recognized places near the middle of a verse.
any break, pause, or interruption.
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Nearby words
caesaropapism, caesious, caesium, caesium clock, caespitose, caesura, caesurae, caetano, caf, cafard, cafe
Also cesura.
Origin of caesura
1550–60; < Latin, equivalent to caes(us) cut (past participle of caedere) (caed- cut + -tus past participle suffix) + -ūra -ure
Related forms
cae·su·ral, cae·su·ric, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for caesura
British Dictionary definitions for caesura
caesura
/ (sɪˈzjʊərə) /
noun plural -ras or -rae (-riː)
(in modern prosody) a pause, esp for sense, usually near the middle of a verse lineUsual symbol: ||
(in classical prosody) a break between words within a metrical foot, usually in the third or fourth foot of the line
Derived Forms
caesural, adjectiveWord Origin for caesura
C16: from Latin, literally: a cutting, from caedere to cut
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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